The Truth
by BugheadLove1202
Summary: ONESHOT! My take on the end of Season 2 Episode 6, and the Bughead Reunion we never got. Long Live Bughead! Read on, and Enjoy!


**Hello fellow Fanfiction Readers!**  
**Most of my time on here is spent reading fanfiction, but every once in a while, I get an idea that I can't get out of my head until I put it down on paper. This is one of those times! This is my first Riverdale fanfiction story, and of course it HAD to be Bughead. They're my favorite! This oneshot is my take on the end of Season 2 Episode 6, and the Bughead reunion we didn't get. This story starts right after Betty finishes her phone call with the Black Hood after catching The Sugarman.**  
**Read on, and enjoy! **

As soon she hung up the phone, she immediately thought of Jughead, though he was never far from her thoughts. Not even a second later, she had put on her shoes and coat and was headed over to his trailer as fast as she her feet would carry her. Once there, she knocked on the door, readying herself for what she had to say to him, and for whatever he had to say to her. Whatever it was, she deserved it.

Recognition and anger appeared on Jughead's face when he opened the door, and it hurt her heart. She knew this wouldn't be easy. She had hurt him badly. She knew that when she did it, and she'd done it anyway. The tone in his voice when he said, "What are you doing here, Betty?" didn't help, and made her wince.

"I told you I would tell you the truth," she said, after swallowing the lump in her throat. "And now I can. I want to tell you everything."

With raised eyebrows, Jughead said nothing, but let her in the trailer, his interest piqued. As she stood in the living room, he leaned against the wall behind him, crossing his arms over his chest and looking at the floor so as not to give in to his desire to pull her into his arms and never let go-he'd missed her so much these last few days. Despite how much she'd hurt him, he loved her so much.

Betty started her tale from the beginning, as promised. "All of this started the night we figured out the cipher. When I got home from the Town Hall, I got a phone call. From the Black Hood."

Jughead's stomach dropped to the floor as his head jerked up to meet her gaze. He hadn't expected that.

"What?! That psycho called you and you didn't tell me? Betty, what the hell-"

"He threatened Polly, Jug! "She cut him off. "He knew where she was! He told me if I told anyone, the police or you specifically, that he'd hurt her. I couldn't let that happen! The next day, though, I told Archie, and that was only because we walk to school together a lot. So it wouldn't be suspicious to anyone watching us together in the morning. And the Black Hood still found out I told him."

Betty saw Jughead uncross his arms and stand up straighter, knowing he was listening even more intently, as she paused to get herself back on track. She then went on, saying, "Anyway, the Black Hood, he was jealous, and in a really weird way, Jug. He said he didn't want to 'share me'. He kept asking me to do things to prove my loyalty to him. The first thing he asked me to do was to bring my mom down a peg. He sent me that article to post in the Blue and Gold. At first, I wasn't planning on doing it. I knew it would not only hurt my mom, but it would ruin her credibility at the Register. But then she pissed me off, saying, in front of Sheriff Keller, that I made up the cipher myself to get attention since it was in that Nancy Drew book. After that, I honestly kind of felt that she deserved it."

Jughead nodded. He had wondered about that. Usually she would ask for his input on a big article like that, and he had wondered where she'd found it.

"I got to ask him a question after I did his bidding." Betty continued. "Anything but his name. The first question I asked was if I would recognize his face, under the mask. He said I would. It's weird, Jug, to know that somehow, I know who this guy is. Anyway, the next thing he asked me to do was harder. He told me that I had to cut Veronica out of my life. As the daughter of Hiram Lodge she 'didn't deserve my friendship.' If I didn't do cut her out, he told me he would do it, his way."

"It was getting harder and harder to keep the tears at bay, but Betty knew if she started crying now, she wouldn't finish this, and Jughead deserved to know everything. "I said awful things to her Jug. Everything that I know she already fears about herself. But I had to make it believable. Having her hate me would be much better than seeing her lying in a hospital bed-or worse."

Tears began flowing from her eyes now, despite her attempts to hold them back, because what she was about to say was the hardest yet. "After everything went down with V, I was sitting on a park bench trying to pull myself together when the Black Hood called again. My next question to him was what would make him stop this. And he said that I was the only thing that would make him stop. Then he told me to do what was easily the hardest thing I've ever, and probably will ever, have to do in my life."

Jughead could see where this was going, but it still did not prepare him for hearing the words. "He told me I had to cut you out, Jug. Or he would."

Betty put her head in her hands for a second to calm herself down before continuing. As much as Jughead wanted to pull her in to his arms and assure her everything was okay, he sensed that she needed to finish recounting her story, and he knew he needed to hear the end of it too. Finishing the story in one go would be easier on them both. So he just stood there, helplessly watching her stand there and cry, not 5 feet away from him.

She breathed in and looked up, though her tears were still flowing intensely. "It was the worst thing he could have ever said to me, Jug. But I knew immediately that I had to do it, no matter how much I hated it. I didn't want to, but Jug, I can't imagine this world without you in it. Even if we weren't together, I can't see a world without Jughead Jones. And even if he didn't kill you, I couldn't even bear the thought of you being put in a hospital hurt because of me. But I couldn't do it! There was no way I'd be able to say to you that I didn't want to be with you anymore, and even if I somehow could, I knew you'd see right through me and you eventually get me to tell you everything, and I couldn't risk him hurting you."

Jughead sighed. "So you sent Archie." It wasn't a question. Everything made sense now. She was right. If she'd told him that he'd never believe it. If he'd been in her situation, the same would apply to him. He couldn't imagine a world without her either. He'd have probably done the same thing.

"I sent Archie." she nodded. "And he tried to talk me out of it, Jughead. He didn't want me to put you or myself through all that. But the Black Hood said that I was the only thing that would stop him from hurting the people in town. So, I figured I could handle it, as long as I was distracting him, keeping everyone else in town safe. And it was only going to be until we caught him, and then I was going to come here and tell you everything. When Archie told me that he'd done it…" She looked down, unable to meet his eyes as she talked about how badly she'd hurt him. "I couldn't stop crying the whole night, Jug. When the Black Hood called to make sure it was done, and I got to ask him my question, I told there was only one that I cared about. Who he was. He sent me to this abandoned house on the edge of town, and had me put on a Black Hood just like his, and it just freaked me out."

She looked at him again, knowing he was going to be angry at her for going there by herself. Defending herself, she continued, "Now I know going there was stupid, but Jug at that point I felt so alone, and I just didn't care. I'd just lost everyone I cared about and…" She trailed off, not knowing how to continue that statement.

"When I got home, he called me again, and said that I'd done well except for the fact that I'd told Archie. Unless I wanted him to hurt Polly, I had to give him a name, someone he could hurt, maybe even kill, to make up for telling Archie. Earlier that night, back at the 5 seasons, Nick St. Clair almost raped Cheryl. He roofied her, and V, the Pussycats and I were all furious about it, even though V was still mad at me for what I said to her, rightfully so. At first, I refused to give the Black Hood a name, I was not going to be that kind of person. I wouldn't stoop to his level! But he kept pushing, threatening Polly, and suddenly I just blurted out Nick's name."  
Jughead could barely keep away from her now, seeing how all of this had affected her, hearing how alone she had felt in all of this hurt him more than he thought possible, definitely more than Archie telling him she no longer wanted to be with him. Still, she continued.

"I ran to the 5 Seasons early the next morning to make sure I hadn't just gotten Nick killed. When I saw him alive, I was relieved, and confused, until the Black Hood called me again. He said he didn't kill him because I'd revealed my true self to him, and that was a 'gift' to him. After that, I finally realized that this was all just a sick, twisted game to him- psychological torture- and that I didn't want to play his game anymore. So, I called Polly, and someone at the farm helped her disappear for a while until this is all over. And then I told Archie that I was done, I wouldn't answer his calls again. And I meant that, too, but he called again at school, and I answered, just to tell him to stop because I'd done all he asked. He told me he wanted me to find this creep called the Sugar Man."

"Wait a minute." Jughead interrupted, speaking for the first time since this story had begun. "You're the one who caught Mr. Phillips?"

"You knew him?" Betty asked, surprised he knew his name.

"He was my English teacher at the Southside High. He let me write for the school paper over there. Anyway, keep going." He said, sensing the story was near its end.

"I realized that if I found the Sugar Man, I could turn the tables around on the Black Hood. So, I decided to play one more time. After having no luck on my own, I ran into V at Pop's and told her everything. By some miracle, she forgave me for all those awful things I said to her and she agreed to help. With help from her and Cheryl, I got the Sugar Man's name. Instead of turning him over to the Black Hood to be hurt or killed, I called Sherriff Keller, and he was arrested. When my time was up and the Black Hood called to see if I'd succeeded, I told him the Sugar Man would receive the proper justice, and then it was my turn to threaten him. I'd found out who Jason's murderer was, I'd caught the Sugar Man, and he was next. As soon as he hung up on me, I came right over here to tell you."

The tears that had slowed started flowing again with renewed vigor as she said, "I know how badly I hurt you Jug, and I told Archie that when this was all over we could walk it back, but I know that I don't deserve to have you forgive me…"

"Betty…" Jughead said, starting to walk towards her. He couldn't take it anymore. He needed her in his arms, but she seemed to not hear him as she continued.

"…but I needed you to know the truth…"

"Betty…" He said again, a little bit louder, and moving a little bit closer, but still she kept going.

"…and I don't care that you've joined the Serpents. I still love you and support whatever you think you have to do…"

"Betty!" He exclaimed, one more time.

"What?"

He said nothing, instead putting his hands on either side of her tear-streaked face, closing the distance between then, and kissing her soundly on the lips, relieved to finally have her in his arms again.

She relaxed in his arms, a soft half-moan, half-sob escaping her lips and her own arms wrapping around his neck, her fingers tangling into his hair. She'd missed being in his arms so much-he'd always made her feel so safe, now a welcome relief after feeling so alone.

They kissed for a few moments before breaking apart, but neither let go of the other. Jughead rested his forehead against hers, his thumbs brushing her still-falling tears from her cheeks.

"I forgave you the moment you said the Black Hood called you." He said in a hushed, soft tone.

"Really?" Betty questioned. She'd hoped that he would forgive her, but after the way she'd hurt him she wasn't 100% sure he would, and she wouldn't have blamed him if he didn't.

"Of course, Betty" He said, lifting his head up and standing up straighter, but still holding her face in his hands, making her look at him. "Did you think that I would hold this against you? Betty, a serial killer threatened you, threatened me, threatened everyone that you care about! You were scared, and you had all the right to be. How could I fault you for trying to protect me, protect the town? Did you sending Archie like that hurt me? Yes. More than I ever even imagined it would, I'll admit. Am I angry? Immensely so. But not at you. I'm angry at him. At the psychopath that made you think for even a second that you were alone in this. Because you are not alone, Betty Cooper, do you hear me? We'll find this asshole together. I love you so much. I'm not going anywhere."

Betty was now fully sobbing as she buried her head in Jughead's shoulder, and he held her tight, never wanting her to leave his arms again. He whispered soft assurances in her ear as she worked to get her emotions back under control. After a few minutes, she pulled away, just enough to look into his eyes. The question on her mind was clear in her eyes, and it took him only a second to answer as he wiped the last of the tears from her eyes.

"We're okay, Bets."

That statement, along with the use of her nickname, brought a smile to her face for the first time since this whole mess began. She kissed him again before hugging him tightly once more. She knew the Black Hood was still out there, and that he wasn't happy with her. But she also knew that, with Jughead, she was safe. And with him was where she wanted to be. They would figure all of this out the way they always did. Together.

**And that's it! All the Bughead. Now it's been a while since I've actually watched Season 2, so don't shun me if all the details aren't exactly right on when/how everything happened, but I'm pretty sure I got the most important things accurate. :) I hope you all enjoyed this story. I am a very self-conscious writer, and know that just because I think something is good, doesn't mean other people do. Please review, it's helpful and encourages me to put more stories out there, but please be nice.**  
**Thanks for reading! **


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